Naruto: A Secret Known
by YenGirl
Summary: Naruto and Sasuke are determined to keep a secret, but it isn't as secret as they think it is.
1. Chapter 1

**Author Notes:** Hello again, everyone! As **fanofthisfiction** kindly reminded me last week, this is my 100th story on FFN and I should make it a memorable one.

Well, I don't know about memorable, but for some time, I've wanted to write a small story for the most popular m/m pairing in the Naruto fandom, NaruSasu/SasuNaru. I've never quite dared to since it's such an established pairing, but then I rashly accepted a challenge from the incredibly persuasive **fanofthisfiction** some time ago... so here it is! With a twist because I dislike character bashing and prefer everyone to be happy :)

This story starts from the ending scene of Episode 479 (Naruto Uzumaki!) and deviates from there.

 **Warnings:** Spoilers for Shippuden, Boruto, possible OOC-ness and fluff.

 **Rating:** T

 **Disclaimer:** Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

\- Story Start -

When Kakashi Hatake took over as Hokage of the Hidden Leaf village, the first thing he did was secure a pardon for Sasuke Uchiha.

Despite his rogue ninja past, Sasuke was allowed to leave the village. He could travel the world while gathering intel to keep the Leaf Village safe, and to report any suspicious incidents back to the Hokage. He was grateful for this opportunity, for it also allowed him to understand the world and to make peace with the conflicts and hatred that had festered within him for so long.

On the day of his release, he stood at the main gates, thanked Kakashi for the opportunity, gently let Sakura down when she wanted to follow, and started off on his journey.

About a mile down the road, he stopped walking and felt the very familiar chakra that had been keeping pace with him do the same. He should have known Naruto wouldn't let him leave without saying goodbye, should have known he would be followed until he acknowledged Naruto's presence. That sheer persistence would have annoyed him to no end once upon a time, but now it only brought forth a tiny, wistful smile.

Naruto stood in the shade of the thick trees that flanked the road, his long sleeved white shirt almost glowing in the dark. Sasuke stepped off the road and approached him. When Naruto held out his left hand, Sasuke looked down to see his old scratched Leaf headband. After a brief pause, he took it with a nod of thanks and looked up into those round blue eyes.

Over the years, he had seen them sparking with anger, narrowed in determination, twinkling with mischief, glowing with laughter, and filled with tears of grief. He had never seen them looking quite _this_ desperate. He felt an answering pang in his chest and knew what it meant. That it wasn't the Leaf Village, or its inhabitants he would miss on his travels. Well... he would miss Kakashi-sensei and Sakura, but it was _Naruto Uzumaki_ he would miss the most.

This boy who had been a part of his life for so long, who had refused to stop following him or competing against him, who had simply refused to give him up when everyone else had, who had insisted time and again that he was his friend and proven it with everything he had... even to the extent of sacrificing his arm.

"Sasuke." Naruto's voice was huskier than usual, his eyes gleaming brightly in the gloom they stood in.

Sasuke quickly shook his head.

"You know I can't stay here," he said, his voice low.

"Teme," Naruto said, sounding almost angry. "I'd never ask that. I just... want you to come back each month."

Sasuke shook his head again.

"Kakashi-sensei said I could send my findings via hawk messenger. I only need to return once a year unless instructed otherwise."

Naruto took a quick step forward, gripping Sasuke's right shoulder tightly with his left hand.

"What I mean is, come back to the Leaf each month. Regardless of the status of your mission."

Sasuke stared at him.

"Why?" he asked even though he knew he shouldn't.

Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"You know why."

"Tell me."

Naruto hesitated and then his chin went up.

"Fine. BecauseIloveyou."

The words were said so fast they ran together, but Sasuke still felt like he had been punched in the gut, his heart lurching in shock. He should have known Naruto's method of handling most things - everything, really - was to meet it head on.

"Yeah," Naruto said after a few moments of wary silence. "I do. At first, I thought it was because we'd been rivals for so long, or because I thought of you like a brother. Now I know it's - it's more than that. Sasuke-"

"Don't!" Sasuke swung away, knocking Naruto's hand off his shoulder. He swallowed, trying to dislodge his heart which was hammering away in his throat. He couldn't deal with this. Sakura's hesitant request to go with him - that was easy. She had never made a secret of her feelings for him.

But it was so much harder to say No to Naruto, the boy who had occupied every last bit of Sasuke's thoughts that weren't consumed with rage and grief, the boy who had made Sasuke want to be stronger, not for revenge, but to be a worthy adversary.

Sasuke found he was shaking. He couldn't deal with this now, not when he was supposed to leave this place.

A hand, calloused but warm, cupped his cheek and turned his face back. Not roughly, but with purpose.

"Come back," Naruto said, cheeks flushed pink, but gaze steady. "I finally understand why I fought so hard to save you. It wasn't just because you're my best friend. It was because you're a part of me. So you... you'd better come home every month, you know!"

Home. Sasuke didn't have a home. Hadn't had one in years.

"The Leaf Village isn't my home," he managed to choke out, his voice thick.

"Then come home to _me._ " Naruto's voice was low and incredibly earnest. " _I_ will be your home, Sasuke. No matter what, I will always love you."

Sasuke swallowed again, throat tight and chest heaving, trying to tamp down his emotions. He shook his head, tried to speak and failed.

For so, so long there had been a void inside him, cold and dark and empty. Nothing could fill it. It had shrunk a little when he finally learned the truth about Itachi, but after all the things Sasuke had done - going to Orochimaru, alienating himself from the others, filling himself with hatred and thoughts of revenge... nothing could fill that hole, not even Sakura's unfailing devotion.

No one save for Naruto. He was the only one apart from Itachi who had said those stupid, ridiculous, _wonderful_ words to him. The tears finally came, hot and fast and unstoppable, spilling from his eyes as a single strangled sob tore from his throat.

"Sasuke."

There was a world of affection in that one word, spoken in that unique, raspy voice.

There was a world of promise in the arm that slung tight around his shoulders.

There was love and devotion and faith and loyalty and warmth and _everything_ Sasuke had denied himself for so, so long. He gasped and buried his face in Naruto's neck, his own arm curled tight around Naruto's back. Their embrace was a bit awkward and open on one side - never had Sasuke longed for both his arms as much as he did right now - but their bodies still moulded together like two halves of a puzzle.

 _This_ was home. Naruto Uzumaki _was_ his home.

They clung to each other, swaying, not even bothering to check if anyone was looking.

"Same," Sasuke finally confessed in a hoarse whisper. "I feel the same."

There was a gasp above Sasuke's ear and Naruto's arm tightened, threatening to crack his ribs. Sasuke gave a groan and pushed, forcing Naruto to release him before straightening up. Naruto's eyes were as wet as his, but there was no hesitation in the tanned fingers that grabbed his chin, tugging him forward into a kiss.

It was their third kiss, but it was also their first real one. Wet and untried and a bit sloppy with teeth clicking together, but gloriously raw and honest.

When they finally parted, Sasuke sniffed and palmed his tears away. Naruto mirrored his actions, both of them sporting sheepish smiles.

"You have rotten timing, dobe," Sasuke said, voice shaking.

"I'll improve," Naruto promised. "But that's why you gotta come back each month. You got that?"

Sasuke nodded.

"Fine."

He could come back to the Leaf Village for this.

He would.

\- o -

 _Three months later..._

It was Sasuke who found and bought the tiny house on top of a secluded hill in the Land of Rice, just a stone's throw from the north east border of the Land of Fire. Naruto protested, but Sasuke was adamant.

"If it were up to you, we'd be meeting in your apartment each month," Sasuke said.

"What's wrong with that?" Naruto demanded.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"What's _wrong?_ How about it being in the middle of the village? How about it being known to just about everyone? Do you know the risks I take each damned month creeping around at night just to spend a few hours with you, dobe?"

Naruto pouted.

"They were a few hours well spent," he insisted, his eyes darkening with the memories of what they shared.

Sasuke's breath caught as his own mind flew back to the first time they made love, a month after his mission started.

 _He returned as promised, an hour before midnight, exhausted and dirty. He made his way to Naruto's apartment and knocked quietly on the door, melting back into the shadows until it was flung open and Naruto's eager face stuck out._

 _It was the work of a second to get both of them back inside and the door closed and locked behind them._

 _"Sasuke!"_

 _"Shh! Idiot!"_

 _Naruto leaped at him, grinning madly with both arms outstretched (although Sasuke hadn't registered it then). The resulting thump against the door as Sasuke fell back against it would've annoyed him, but they were kissing by then and nothing was as important as the glorious heat of Naruto's mouth on his._

 _They touched each other as they kissed, hungry fingers sliding into hair and and tugging, eager hands running over clothed shoulders and arms. When they finally broke apart, they stared at each other._

 _"Uhm._ Tadaima _," Sasuke finally said, feeling awkward._

 _Naruto beamed at him and cupped his face with both hands._

 _"_ Okaeri _, Sasuke," he returned softly before kissing him again._

 _It didn't take long for the kiss to heat up once more, and for Sasuke's vest, shirt and Naruto's sleeping tee to land on the floor. They probably would have ended up giving their innocence to each other right there and then, but somehow, Sasuke found the strength to push Naruto away._

 _"Sasuke," Naruto whined._

 _"I'm tired and hungry and filthy," Sasuke informed him. "Bath and food first if you want me awake for anything else."_

 _Naruto blinked and then he beamed. He disappeared inside his bedroom and reappeared with a damp towel which he tossed at Sasuke._

 _"Get going, teme. Instant ramen only takes minutes to prepare, you know!"_

"Every minute spent with you is worth it, you know that."

Naruto's voice brought Sasuke back to the present. He just rolled his eyes again, refusing to be swayed, refusing to look at the rumpled bed a few feet away that smelled of both of them.

"Your place is also a pigsty," he said.

When Naruto flushed and stuck out his lower lip even more, Sasuke sighed and stepped forward to kiss that pout away.

"This way is better," he said. "Trust me."

It was. Their new home had taken a substantial chunk out of Sasuke's Uchiha inheritance, but it was worth it. A mere half day's journey from the Leaf, secluded and most importantly, warded now to the hilt. It offered a breathtaking view of the valley around them.

It was Sasuke who made sure the floor was swept and the bed sheets were clean. The first time they spent the night there, they had overslept and left the place as it was. A month later, they came back to mouldy takeout, a trail of ants, musty smelling sheets and a puddle of rainwater and debris on the floor thanks to a window left open.

After that, Sasuke made sure they cleaned and locked the place up tight when they left. He also made sure to arrive an hour earlier to air out their home. Naruto would bring enough food and drink for a day and Sasuke didn't mind that one of their meals was always takeout from Ichiraku.

\- o -

 _Twelve months later..._

Sasuke continued gathering intel outside the village and going on several undercover missions while Naruto caught up on the schooling he had missed and started learning the ropes of becoming Hokage.

Every month, they met without fail and the precious twelve or so hours they shared only made their bond stronger than ever. Occasional disagreements were inevitable, but they were always resolved those by the time they left. Both had suffered loneliness for too long to spoil the bond they had.

Late one night, with a heavy downpour drumming on the roof, they lay in bed, wrapped in each other's arms, naked and content.

"I've made up my mind, Sasuke. I want to marry Hinata."

Sasuke just grunted and tucked his face into the side of Naruto's neck, right arm flung over his chest.

They had had this conversation a few times already. The first time, he had stormed out of their home and Naruto had to chase after him. The second time, things had gotten smashed and punches had been thrown. The third time, he almost didn't show up at their home. But Sasuke finally accepted the fact that as much as Naruto loved him, he also had other dreams, equally dear to his heart. One of them included building a family. Sasuke might not have felt that need as deeply as his lover, but he was the last living wielder of the Sharingan, and cursed bloodline or no, he didn't really want it to die out.

Warm lips pressed a kiss to his hair.

"Ask Sakura," Naruto urged. "It's only fair and we both know she wouldn't say 'No'. Not to you."

Sasuke grunted again, briefly sinking his teeth into Naruto's shoulder, making the blond hiss.

"It wouldn't be fair to either of them," he said.

Naruto leaned up on one elbow.

"Maybe not," he agreed. "But you know they'd never marry anyone else except us."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him.

"Pretty sure of ourselves, aren't we?"

Naruto had the grace to look abashed, but he didn't back down.

"I'm right and you know it."

Sasuke frowned, absently running calloused fingertips down Naruto's bare chest and brushing over a nipple. Sakura's devotion to him and Hinata's devotion to Naruto were both equally well known.

"Fine," he finally muttered. "If she'll have me after all that's happened, after all that I've done."

Naruto grinned down at him, undeterred.

"I'm sure she will. And I know you care for her. Right, when are we gonna-"

Sasuke scowled up at him, hand sliding up to curl around Naruto's head.

"Later. Now shut up and kiss me."

\- o -

 _Ten years later..._

Sakura Haruno walked down the street, one hand holding eight year old Sarada's hand, the other holding a takeaway bag from a popular cafe. She was on her way to the Hokage's residence for her monthly get together with Hinata.

The two of them met up with Ino, Tenten, Temari and Karui every weekend while their children played together, but the last Wednesday of each month was reserved for just the two of them.

The topic of conversation?

Their husbands.

In a few minutes, Sarada was playing with Boruto and little Himawari in the garden outside while their mothers sat down at the kitchen table where they could keep an eye on them through the large window.

"How time flies," Sakura sighed, taking a sip of her iced milk coffee. "Nine years of marriage already."

Hinata nodded, smiling at the memory of their double wedding, one of the most cherished memories she had.

"Sasuke didn't say anything this morning?" she asked.

"Other than the usual? Nope," Sakura said with a laugh. "What about Naruto, did _he_ say anything?"

Hinata shook her head as well, smiling.

It _was_ strange how they could talk about their husbands so easily, and with such contented smiles on their faces. But they had both known their husbands since they were little. They had known things the others didn't.

Everyone had thought of Naruto as a loudmouth brat with little skills save for making a nuisance of himself and boasting about becoming Hokage, but Hinata had seen his courage, his convictions and his enormous capacity for love.

Everyone had thought of Sasuke as a cold, withdrawn child with impressive skills, but Sakura had seen his pain and loneliness and his longing to belong somewhere.

The third thing they both knew was that special _something_ between the two men that ran far deeper than mere dislike or rivalry. A bond forged, perhaps, from the moment of their first, accidental kiss so many years ago and strengthened by everything that had happened between them.

"How strange that we're both this happy when we know very well what they're up to right now," Sakura mused with a faraway look in her eyes, chin propped on one hand.

"It's not strange at all," Hinata said at once. "They were together even before they decided to court us."

Sakura picked up a skewer of dumplings from the plate between them. The cafe's were decent, but Hinata's were better - and nibbled on one.

"So you never expected Naruto to give Sasuke-kun up?" she teased, already knowing the answer.

Hinata shook her head at once, blue black hair swinging around her shoulders.

"Never. I just... I just wish he'd tell me," she sighed.

Sakura rolled her eyes and took another bite of dumpling.

"Me too, but Sasuke-kun probably thinks I'd flatten him," she said with a mock frown.

It was Hinata's turn to giggle.

"I'm just... I'm just happy Naruto-kun's heart is big enough to include me. And Boruto and Himawari."

Sakura smiled and reached over to pat her hand. "I feel the same way about Sasuke-kun, that he also keeps Sarada and me in his heart."

Their smiling faces were a far cry from their second year of marriage when they had broken down in each other's arms after discovering the wrong shirt hastily packed into the wrong bag. After the storm of tears passed, they realised that deep down, they weren't all that surprised.

"We are past that now," Hinata continued in a firm voice. "All I care about is that I'm married to the man I love and we have two beautiful children together. And if I have to share him with someone, then I'm glad that it's someone who loves him just as much."

"Here, here!" Sakura agreed.

Hinata gave her a mischievous smile.

"Of course, the fact that my best friend is in the exact same situation as I am helps a lot too."

Sakura laughed aloud at that.

"I couldn't have said it better myself, girlfriend," she said and raised her cup, which Hinata touched with her own.

"To our wonderful, silly husbands who actually think they can keep secrets from us!"

\- Story End -

 **A/N:** Thank you for reading! I know, it's a conveniently happy ending which is almost impossible in real life, but hey, this is fanfiction where anything can happen :)

Those of you who are familiar with my VK stories already know I much prefer all my characters to enjoy love and happily ever afters instead of one party getting left out and heartbroken. Do leave a review if you enjoyed it :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Notes:** Hello again, everyone! This story was meant to be a one shot, but my muse tempted me with an idea so here's the result! This takes place a year after the previous chapter.

 **Warnings:** You may want to re-read the first chapter before this one as it was posted some time back. This story is best enjoyed with an open mind and a large pinch of salt - it is fanfiction after all :)

 **Rating:** T

 **Disclaimer:** Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

\- Story Start -

It was the middle of summer and the Hidden Leaf Village was, in a word, sweltering. The popular topics of conversation centered around how many showers one had already had for the day, where were the best places to cool off, and just how long the heatwave would last.

 _"Tadaima,"_ Sakura called as she let herself into her home. "Ugh, I'm melting!"

 _"Okaeri."_ Sasuke walked out from the kitchen, dressed only in a pair of trousers and holding a drink. Ice cubes clinked as he took a sip before handing her the glass.

"Thanks." Sakura took a long drink of the iced tea, eyeing the pale, toned chest in front of her. She knew without looking that Sasuke had one eyebrow up.

Under normal circumstances, she might already be pulling her one armed hunk of a husband inside their bedroom. Right now though, she was sticky, tired and felt as limp as a wilted lettuce leaf. And about as appealing as one too. Besides, Sarada was home. Sakura preferred to keep any romantic activities to night time unless she and Sasuke were alone.

Putting down her bag, she walked into the kitchen to rinse out the glass, wondering if she should skip cooking and order takeout. Again. She just didn't feel like slaving over a hot stove in such weather. The sun was already going down, but the heat from the day lingered for _hours._

"Mama, you're home. Can't we go somewhere cooler?" Nine year old Sarada poked her head in, pouting. "My clothes are sticking to my back!"

"You know I have work, dear."

"But school is closed this week and papa will only be here until Sunday. You know he doesn't come home often."

Sakura sighed and forced a smile instead of rolling her eyes. Yes, that was something she knew very, very well indeed. She turned to Sasuke and raised her eyebrow.

"Suit yourself," he said with a shrug.

Sakura blinked and then she smiled, and her smile turned into a grin. She suddenly had enough energy to cook dinner. A simple meal, anyway.

"I'll go look for nearby places right after dinner," she said. Even Hinata, the soul of patience, had been complaining about the heat lately.

Maybe the Uzumakis would want to come along? That would be fun!

\- o -

 _Two days later..._

The Uzumakis and the Uchihas were in high spirits as they set off on their three day two night trip. Sakura and Hinata had booked two family rooms at an exclusive _onsen_ in the hills of the Land of Rice.

For once, Naruto didn't argue much when Shikamaru urged him to take a break.

They were at the train station early in the morning and arrived at the second last stop of their journey after two in the afternoon. By then, Boruto, Sarada and Himawari were restless after the long train ride so their parents decided to make the rest of their journey - a three hour hike - on foot. The scenery was beautiful with rolling hills of greenery as far as the eye could see. Hinata and Sakura had brought food and drinks so they could enjoy a picnic lunch and still arrive at the onsen by early evening.

After an hour's walk to stretch their legs, they stopped under the shade of a large tree. Sasuke went to take a quick look around while Naruto spread out the picnic blanket. Hinata unpacked the homemade bento boxes with rice, eggs, fish and pickles while Sakura dug into another bag and took out fruit and packet drinks.

The cool breeze, pretty scenery and Hinata's cooking made the picnic a big success. While the children ran around with their energy restored, Naruto and Sasuke pillowed their heads in their wives' laps and promptly fell asleep.

Hinata and Sakura were so engrossed keeping an eye on the children and chatting that neither noticed the dark clouds gathering in the sky. When Sarada ran up to point it out, they quickly woke their husbands and started packing up their things. They were quick, but the thunderstorm was quicker.

In seconds, fat raindrops started falling from the sky. A flash of lightning was followed by the rumble of thunder, and then the rain started in earnest. Everyone was soon soaked to the skin. Himawari started crying and Naruto picked her up, settling her on one hip.

"We need to find shelter!" Sasuke shouted above the sound of the rain. "Naruto-"

"I don't recall seeing any!" Naruto shouts back. "Hinata?"

"I... I don't see anything!" Hinata was looking around with her Byakugan activated. "Wait, there's a... small house on top of a hill. About a mile away!"

"Which direction?" Sakura asked, sweeping her wet hair off her face. "I know I prayed for a heavy rain, but that was back home!"

As Hinata pointed, Sasuke nudged Naruto with a meaningful look. Naruto's eyes widened in dismayed realisation, but there was no help for it. The storm was getting heavier, Himawari was crying and even Sarada and Boruto looked scared, sticking close to their mothers.

Sasuke looked at them and then back at Naruto, his jaw tightening.

"Follow me."

\- o -

They arrived at the small house in fifteen minutes, the prospect of shelter giving them an extra boost of energy. Neither men looked at each other, all too aware that the last time they were here was just a week ago. Sasuke had mouthed the word 'traps' and gone on ahead to dismantle the security traps he set up each month when they left. Naruto had tried to give him time, putting Himawari down for a minute under the pretext of taking a short rest.

When they were finally out of the howling wind and pelting rain with the door firmly shut and locked behind them, the sudden silence was deafening. They stood in the small sunken space between door and living room, water running down their bodies and darkening to the wooden floor.

"Are you sure nobody's home?" Sakura asked, peering around. "Hello! Anyone here? You didn't lock your front door."

"Lucky for us," Hinata remarked and grabbed Boruto's coat when he took a step further. "Wait. We're dripping water."

"Hold on." Sasuke opened the nearest cupboard and grabbed a stack of old towels. "Use these towels, they're clean. Uh, they _look_ clean."

Naruto wrinkled his nose at the slip, but luckily Himawari sneezed at that moment, followed by Boruto and Sarada as if it were contagious.

"They need hot baths right away," Sakura said, back in Healer mode.

"Ah, that's right." Naruto stretched up on tiptoe and felt for the lever above the cupboard. He twisted it. "There should be hot water in the shower now, you know."

He winced at his own slip when Sasuke coughed, but their wives didn't notice. Hinata was still fretting about breaking into someone's home and Sakura was worrying that the children would catch colds.

"It's fine," Naruto said. "I'll uh... leave some money and a thank you note for them."

"Oh, that's a good idea, Naruto-kun," Hinata said, brightening up. "I won't feel so guilty about using their things then. Let's go, Sakura."

They herded the children towards the only possible location of the bathroom - the single bedroom - leaving their husbands still standing in the small space by the door, wiping themselves with the now damp towels.

"Any toiletries in there, Hinata?" Sakura's voice floated out.

"Yes, everything we need!"

"That's great. Shall I take out Himawari's clean clothes for you?"

"Yes please. Thank you."

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged cautiously relieved looks. Good thing they never left any personal belongings here that could be traced back to themselves.

"This is surreal," Naruto said in a low voice. "I must be dreaming. You too."

"More like a nightmare," Sasuke muttered, using the by now wet towels to mop up the puddles on the floor.

Both were very much aware that their wives had taken over the one room they spent most of their time in when they stayed here, but decided not to point it out.

"What do we do now?" Naruto wondered. "The thunderstorms here can last for hours."

"We wait," Saskue replied curtly. "It's fine. We'll leave for the _onsen_ as soon as we can and no one will be any the wiser."

Naruto nodded as they went to sit on the two bar stools at the kitchen counter, feeling tense and edgy.

"Here you go," Sakura said suddenly, making both of them jump. "We'll be a while so you two should get out of those wet clothes first."

She handed them their respective change of clothes and disappeared back inside the bedroom, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Both men swapped their wet clothes for dry without comment, not even in the mood to ogle each other.

\- o -

Forty minutes later, Hinata and Sakura emerged from the bedroom, hair wet, cheeks flushed from the hot water and dressed in clean clothes. They reported that all three children had fallen asleep on the double bed, exhausted.

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged looks again, only too aware of all the passionate action that had happened on that bed over the past decade or so.

"Well, bathroom's all yours," Sakura told them.

"Go ahead," Hinata urged. "You'll feel much better after a hot shower."

"I'm hungry again," Sakura sighed, rubbing her tummy. "We gave Boruto and Sarada the last few mochi, and Himawari had the last juice box."

"I wonder if the owners have anything to eat?" Hinata eyed the single hob on the counter and the row of cupboards above it. "Since we're planning to leave them money, we might as well see if they have food."

"I'm sure there is, you know!" Naruto jumped up at once, glad of the distraction of having something to occupy his hands.

He was behind the counter before Sasuke could say anything, opening the middle cupboard to take out a package of instant ramen, and then the cupboard on the right to retrieve a saucepan. Stepping over to the sink, he twisted on the tap to fill the pot with water and set it on the hob, turning on the burner with a flick of his wrist.

Each of his movements were smooth and practiced.

Naruto hummed under his breath as he tore open the package and took out the four individual ramen packs. He felt calmer now that he was doing something familiar. Besides, ramen - in any shape, style or flavour - was comfort food of the best kind. He didn't see Sasuke face palming himself nor Sakura and Hinata's perplexed frowns as they stared at him.

After exchanging several indecipherable looks with Sakura, all of which screamed 'busted!' to a quietly panicking Sasuke, Hinata cleared her throat.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Hmm?" Naruto looked up from adding the dried vegetables and seasonings to the simmering water. He had taken out a pair of chopsticks from a drawer and four bowls from another cupboard. Sasuke preferred to wash up after each meal when it was his turn, but Naruto's style was to tackle all the dirty dishes just before they left, hence the need for more crockery.

"Whose place is this?" Hinata asked.

"Don't know," Naruto replied.

"A safe house," Sasuke said.

The two husbands exchanged startled looks as their wives stared from one to the other.

"Ah."

"Yeah."

"So which is it?" Sakura asked, head tipped in puzzlement. "A civilian's house or one of the Leaf's safe houses?"

Naruto and Sasuke stared at each other, one with rounded 'Help me!' blue eyes and the other with narrowed 'We're dead' black eyes. Naruto then narrowed his eyes as well, telling his lover to answer his wife. They both knew who was better at barefaced lies.

"A safe house," Sasuke said in a monotone.

Not an out and out lie, Naruto thought in relief as he added the noodles to the pot. It _was_ their safe haven after all.

"But you two _have_ been here before?"

"No," Naruto said.

"Yes," Sasuke said.

More glaring with narrowed eyes ensued before they looked at their wives whose eyebrows had gone way up by now.

"I mean I've been here before," Sasuke amended.

The pot almost bubbled over, drawing Naruto's attention. He quickly shut off the flame.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Hmm?"

"You seem..." Hinata trailed off, unsure of how to continue.

"Anyway, the ramen's ready," Naruto quickly said. "Let's dig in while it's still hot, you know!"

Lips pressed tight, Sasuke went to take out more chopsticks and soup spoons. There were only two bar stools so he and Sasuke stood as they ate.

Despite the contradictory answers earlier, the ramen, even without additional toppings of any kind, was tasty and warming.

"Aahh, ramen always hits the spot!" Naruto was the first to set down his empty bowl. He gave a happy sigh, rubbing his tummy in satisfaction.

"It was OK." Sasuke set down his bowl, equally empty.

Still halfway eating, Hinata cleared her throat, a tiny frown settling between her eyebrows.

"Naruto-kun, you _have_ been here before, haven't you?"

The ramen in Naruto's stomach suddenly started squirming like worms.

"Uh..."

"You knew exactly where the ramen was, where the pot was, how to work the stove."

Naruto stared at her, feeling trapped. He could never lie to her. He had never had any reason to.

"And you, Sasuke," Sakura spoke up, her voice equally quiet. "You knew where to get the cutlery. And those towels, you knew they were clean."

Sasuke looked like he had turned into a statue.

"Naruto-kun, is there something you're not telling us?" Hinata asked, pressing her lips in a thin line.

"Sasuke? What about you?" Sakura asked, putting down her chopsticks and pressing her fingertips to her mouth.

Naruto and Sasuke turned to each other, a hundred excuses thought of, considered and discarded in the span of those few seconds.

"So what is this place? Exactly?" Hinata asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"And why are you two so familiar with it?" Sakura asked, her voice mirroring Hinata's.

Their husbands turned a shade paler and exchanged near panicked looks.

"Come to think of it, Naruto-kun, you're never at home on the last Wednesday of every month," Hinata said, her voice trembling. "Ever since we were married."

"And Sasuke, you're never back from missions on the last week of every month either," Sakura said. "Ever since _we_ were married."

Naruto and Sasuke were the two most powerful shinobi in the Leaf Village, and among the most powerful in the Five Great Nations, but the looks they exchanged now said that their lives were about to end very soon.

Oh, and their marriages as well.

\- o -

Naruto exhaled and dropped his head. The past twelve years were like a series of dreams come true for him. He was with the two persons he loved most in the world and had brought up two wonderful children with one of them. He had achieved his dream of becoming Hokage, it had been a peaceful fifteen years... and he was about to lose it all.

Still, he owed Hinata the truth, no matter how painful it was for her, no matter what it would mean to their family, or Sasuke and Sakura's. Steeling himself, Naruto raised his head.

"Hinata, you know I love you, Boruto and Himawari," he began and then he blinked.

Hinata had a hand covering her mouth and was shaking silently. Bewildered, Naruto turned to Sakura who also shaking with a hand over her mouth. Frowning, he turned to Sasuke who looked as clueless as he felt.

"Oh, Naruto-kun!" Hinata finally gasped and then started laughing in earnest, wrapping her arms around her middle. "You should see... your... face...!"

"S-Sasuke!" Sakura was also doubled over in laughter. "You... too!"

They clung to each other for support with tears of mirth running down their faces.

"Hey, you two alright?" Naruto finally asked, perplexed and almost fearful.

"They are," Sasuke said, lips pursed in what would have been a pout if it were anyone else.

"They're laughing," Naruto protested. "Hysterical, even! How can they be al-"

Then the Ryo dropped.

"They know," he whispered.

Sasuke nodded once, cheeks flushed a sudden, vivid pink. Naruto stared at him, momentarily distracted.

"How?" He hissed.

Sasuke shrugged.

"Guess we'll find out once they stop laughing," he said dryly. Reaching across, he took Naruto's empty bowl, stacked it on top of his and took them to the sink, running water over them.

Naruto looked at the two women still clinging to each other, the tight knot in his chest starting to loosen. Perhaps he and Sasuke would survive after all.

\- o -

"In our second year of marriage?" Naruto echoed. "As far back as that?"

Sakura and Hinata nodded. They had finally finished their cooling ramen and the four of them were now sitting on the floor of the living room since there wasn't any furniture there, husbands facing wives.

"I found Sasuke's shirt inside your bag, Naruto-kun," Hinata explained. "I... I didn't know what to think. I was about to call Sakura when she called me."

"With Naruto's shirt in my hand," Sakura agreed, the faraway look in her eyes saying she was recalling that day.

"And then?" Naruto asked.

"And then we exchanged your shirts," Hinata replied simply.

"Just like that?"

"No, we also cried for hours," Sakura said with her customary frankness. "We both had a one year old child and it was a shock, to say the least."

Both husbands winced.

"I'm so sorry," Naruto apologised.

"Me too," Sasuke said.

"What I want to know is, _when_ did you two get together?" Sakura asked. "Right after we were married?"

"No. It was a few months after the Fourth Shinobi war just before I left the village," Sasuke explained.

"But you were gone for a whole year," Sakura protested. "How could you - wait. That was two years _before_ we got married?"

The two men nodded sheepishly.

"You were already seeing each other when you started dating us?" Hinata asked. "Then why did you even...?"

Naruto glanced at Sasuke who gave a tiny shrug as encouragement.

"Because I've always wanted a family," Naruto said. "And it's not something Sasuke and I can have together."

"Ditto," Sasuke said.

"But why didn't you tell us?" Sakura asked.

"I didn't know how to," Sasuke replied.

"I didn't want to give him up," Naruto added. "But I also didn't want to give up on my dreams. Gods, I sound terrible, don't I?"

When Hinata shrugged, her lips trembling, Naruto leaned forward, his blue eyes earnest.

"You have every right to be angry with me, Hinata, I know that. But I didn't marry you just to have children. I do love you. And Boruto and Himawari."

"Ditto," Sasuke said again and when Sakura started to frown, hurriedly added, "I love you, Sakura, and Sarada too."

"Well, why didn't you tell us you two knew?" Naruto asked.

"We were hoping you would tell us yourselves," Hinata explained, her eyes holding a hint of reproach. "Only you never did."

"Ah. So you two aren't... angry with us?" Naruto asked hopefully, holding out a hand to Hinata who took it with a smile.

"Not anymore," she assured him. "We know you and Sasuke have a bond that goes way back."

Sakura held out her hand and smiled when Sasuke took it. Then Naruto reached for Hinata's other hand and held both tightly.

"Will you forgive me?" He asked, wondering what he would say if she didn't... or demanded that he chose between her and Sasuke. To his utter relief, she gave a small laugh and nodded.

"I already have, Naruto-kun. Sasuke is... well, I will say he's the only one I don't mind sharing you with."

"Thank you, you're the best wife in the world," Naruto said fervently and leaned forward to kiss her.

"You too, Sasuke," Sakura told her husband. "But only Naruto, mind you."

"Yeah, like anyone else will have me," Sasuke mumbled, but he looked just as relieved as he leaned forward to peck Sakura on the lips.

"It still seems weird though," Hinata said thoughtfully. "You two act just like best friends when we go out."

Naruto shrugged, glancing at Sasuke.

"We _are_ best friends, you know," he said. "Just... more than that."

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him.

"Are you _sure_ you two are lovers?"

"Eh? You want us to prove it?" Naruto asked. "Ow!"

Sasuke had elbowed him in the ribs and was glaring at him.

"Yes. Prove to us that you two _are_ lovers." Sakura tipped her chin up in challenge.

"Sakura...!" Naruto whined, something he hadn't done in years. He turned to Hinata, but she pulled her hands free and nodded.

"Yes. A-a kiss," she said although her face had turned red.

"I'm still dreaming, aren't I?" Naruto said, turning to Sasuke.

"More like a nightmare," Sasuke muttered. "And it's _your_ fault."

"What? Why is it-"

"Not like we haven't seen you two kiss before," Sakura reminded them in a matter of fact voice although her cheeks too, were turning red.

"That was an accident!" Both men chorused, but their wives just raised their eyebrows and waited.

"Whatever," Sasuke said with a sigh.

Startled, Naruto turned to him, eyes widening at the sudden glint in those black eyes and the warm hand sliding around his neck to pull him closer.

The kiss was long, thorough and wet, Sasuke's iron grip preventing Naruto from moving backwards or to the side to break it. When it finally ended, Naruto was sputtering from shock as much as the need to breathe. His lips were tingling and his whole face was on fire. Part of him was furious at Sasuke and the rest of him just ... well, wanted to drag him off somewhere private.

"What the hell, Sasuke!" He burst out after gulping a few much needed breaths. "You're gonna get us killed!"

"Really? Take a look." Sasuke tilted his head towards their wives, licking his lips.

Tearing his gaze away, Naruto turned to see Hinata and Sakura staring at them, eyes round with shock. Sakura had her hands clapped to her cheeks while Hinata had hers over her mouth. Naruto turned back to see the rare smirk on his lover's face.

"Satisfied now, Sakura?" Sasuke drawled.

Sakura blinked a few times and lowered her hands. She coughed.

"That was _very_ different to the first time you two kissed," she observed, sounding breathless.

"How many times do we have to tell you? That was an accident, you know!" Naruto protested at once. He darted a nervous look at Hinata who still had her hands over her mouth.

"Er, Hinata? you OK?"

She blinked and slowly lowered her hands.

"We believe you," she said, sounding just as breathless as Sakura. "So this house is where you... erm... get together every month?"

"The proper term is 'love nest'," Sakura corrected her.

The two husbands nodded stiffly.

"And that bed in the bedroom is where you two-"

"Sakura!" Two male voices chorused in panic before everyone turned to look at said bedroom with the door slightly ajar. There were no sounds coming from inside so after a few seconds, they all heaved a sigh of relief.

"So... uhm, what now?" Naruto asked.

"Storm's almost over," Sasuke said. "We should be able to leave soon."

"No! I mean, what about..."

"You two being lovers behind our backs?" Sakura arched an eyebrow.

"Uh. Yeah..." Naruto rubbed the back of his head, face flaming again.

"Hinata, what do you think?" Sakura asked her best friend.

"Nothing has changed," Hinata said.

"Right. There's your answer," Sakura told the two men.

When Naruto and Sasuke just gaped at her, she huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"It's fine with us, alright?"

"You sure?" Naruto asked.

Hinata nodded.

" _Very_ sure?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura nodded.

Naruto beamed and kissed Hinata before jumping up and pulling her to her feet.

"That's great! I'll go take a shower since there's still hot water, you know!"

Sasuke kissed Sakura and pulled her up as well.

"Thanks," he told her. "I'll go wash up."

As Naruto disappeared inside the bedroom and Sasuke to the kitchen, their wives exchanged looks.

"That was some kiss," Hinata whispered, sounding almost envious.

"Oh, to be a fly on the bedroom wall the next time they're here." Sakura had the same tone in her voice.

"Sakura!" Hinata looked scandalised, but she was also smiling. "You're joking!"

"Of course I'm joking," Sakura replied. "I don't know of any jutsu that would allow me to do _that_."

"That's good," Hinata told her and nudged her shoulder playfully. "Otherwise you know... I might actually be tempted to join you!"

\- Story End -

 **A/N:** Thank you for reading! Do leave a review before you go :)


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